Should I Keep Paying My Credit Card Bills? Due to your legitimate financial hardship, you are able to participate in this savings program in order to help pay your debts in the future. We are not here to advise you not to pay your debts now, however if you continue to make payments to your creditors, there may be less debt or possibly none left at all for us to settle. If you are able to save money in this program & make payments to your creditors at the same time, then you probably don’t actually have a legitimate financial hardship.
Credit counseling (known in the United Kingdom as Debt counselling) is commonly a process that is used to help individual debtors with debt settlement through education, budgeting and the use of a variety of tools with the goal to reduce and ultimately eliminate debt.[1] Credit counseling is most often done by Credit counseling agencies that are empowered by contract to act on behalf of the debtor to negotiate with creditors to resolve debt that is beyond a debtor's ability to pay. Some of the agencies are non-profits that charge at no or non-fee rates, while others can be for-profit and include high fees. Regulations on credit counseling and Credit counseling agencies varies by country and sometimes within regions of the countries themselves.[1] In the United States, individuals filing Chapter 13 bankruptcy are required to receive counseling.
Using your home and your equity to secure a consolidation loan can be one of the quickest and safest ways to eliminate high interest debt. By using your home for collateral, you can greatly improve your chances of acquiring a low interest loan, and you also can borrow more than you would be able to through a personal loan. There are important differences to understand between second mortgages, refinances, and home equity loans, so please read our guide, browse our articles, and use our solution finder to receive your quote.

Portfolio Recovery just got a judgment against me for 10000 – it was a motion for summary judgment and it was pre determined before I got to say anything..no mediation was offered…..I am on 100 percent disability and only work about 12 hrs per wk so they cannot touch my earnings either – I am co owner of house in Fl but we have homestead…..I will be 60, husband is 66 — so exactly what do they hope in getting this judgment? The alleged debt was in my name alone..

For example, let’s say Credit Card A has a balance of $1,000 and a 12% interest rate, and Credit Card B has $1,500 at 6% interest. You put down $150 total every month, paying the minimum payment (3%) on one and whatever’s left on the other. You’re going to save more money by eliminating Credit Card A first ($147 in total interest) vs Card B ($188).

Financial education. You'll have access to a wide variety of educational resources for help getting out of debt. These include newsletters, articles and tools on our website that can help you manage credit card debt, budget your finances more effectively, learn about how to stay out of debt, and get answers to questions like "How can I improve my credit score?" and "What is debt consolidation?"
We value transparency in a debt settlement company, and National Debt Relief was one of the most forthcoming with information. When we spoke on the phone with a customer service rep, they explained the program in detail, spelling out the benefits and drawbacks and offering recommendations on alternatives. They were quick to respond to our follow-ups and provided some of their onboarding information for us to look over.
McClary says the best time to go to creditors for help is before the situation is out of control. Don’t wait until an account is about to be closed because you’ve had several months of late or missed payments. Tell the creditor you’d like to pay down your balance faster and want to know what services are available to help you manage your debt better.
This involves opening several bank accounts — your regular current account, one for your own wage, another for tax and finally one for a rainy day. You then apply the percentages to your income and as soon as you get paid, you transfer these percentages into the accounts. For example, you have 70 percent as your wages, 10 percent tax and 5 percent for rainy days. This leaves 15 percent in your current account for expenses. After this, you’ll hopefully be in a position to reach your earning target with the sales you already have. However, you can also work backward, using these percentages, to price your services and products.

*Clients who are able to stay with the program and get all their debt settled realize approximate savings of 50% before fees, or 30% including our fees, over 24 to 48 months. All claims are based on enrolled debts. Not all debts are eligible for enrollment. Not all clients complete our program for various reasons, including their ability to save sufficient funds. Estimates based on prior results, which will vary based on specific circumstances. We do not guarantee that your debts will be lowered by a specific amount or percentage or that you will be debt-free within a specific period of time. We do not assume consumer debt, make monthly payments to creditors or provide tax, bankruptcy, accounting or legal advice or credit repair services. Not available in all states. Please contact a tax professional to discuss tax consequences of settlement. Please consult with a bankruptcy attorney for more information on bankruptcy. Depending on your state, we may be available to recommend a local tax professional and/or bankruptcy attorney. Read and understand all program materials prior to enrollment, including potential adverse impact on credit rating.

A debt management plan sets up a payment schedule for you to repay your debts, with the goal of helping creditors receive the money owed to them and ultimately improving your financial and credit standing. By voluntary agreement, you deposit funds with your credit counseling agency each month, who sends those funds directly to your creditors. It usually takes 3-5 years to complete payments under a debt management program, after which you may be able to reestablish credit.